Table of Contents
In memory of Marni Levine
About This Book
Black Belt Krav Maga is a compilation of advanced techniques selected from Krav Maga Worldwides carefully designed and vastly evolved Black Belt Level curriculum. Like Krav Maga for Beginners and Complete Krav Maga, this book is not meant to be a complete and exhaustive description of all Krav Maga black belt techniques; rather, it features unique training modules selected from some of our systems most advanced hand-to-hand combat and defensive tactics material.
This book will address sophisticated handgun threats, carjacking scenarios, our approach to third-party protection, edged-weapon threats, defending edged-weapon attacks by using a blunt object or edged weapon, defending blunt objects with blunt objects, and performing progressive tactics and techniques to neutralize hand grenade and improvised explosive device (I.E.D.) threats. Needless to say, all of the topics presented are extremely high risk and involve the potential use of deadly force. Some of the sections will be based more on principle than technique, taking into account the many variables that may affect intricate technical responses.
This book also provides some general information about the actual weapons, the assailants and, where applicable, weapons to be used for defensive and/or offensive functions. It also discusses training methodologies, use of force, legal considerations and more.
Its important to note that this book was not written in an effort to replace training with an updated and presently certified Krav Maga Worldwide instructor. This book is meant to serve as a resource for advanced instructors and an introduction for other instructors and students wishing to further their knowledge in the system. It bears repeating that the scenarios presented in this book are of extreme high risk, and no medium can replace actual supervised training.
What Is Krav Maga?
Krav Maga was originally developed in Israel as the official system of self-defense and hand-to-hand combat for the Israeli Defense Forces, the Israeli National Police, Israeli Special Operations and other security units. More recently, Krav Maga has been taught extensively to civilians, law-enforcement agencies and military units in the United States, and to our allies throughout the world. Cognizant of the different use-of-force standards between Israel and the United States, important steps were taken by Krav Maga Worldwide to refine and adapt Krav Maga techniques for use by American law enforcement and civilians.
More information about the history of Krav Maga can be found in Complete Krav Maga and Krav Maga for Beginners.
The System
Krav Maga emerged in an environment where extreme violence was common. Krav Maga has a worldwide reputation as being an ideal means of defending ones life, or the life of a third party, whether the threat involves unarmed assailants, armed assailants or multiple assailants. The Krav Maga Worldwide system has received international recognition as an innovative and highly practical self-defense system ideally suited for three distinct entities: law enforcement, military and civilians.
Potentially lethal-force scenarios in this book include: advanced threats involving a handgun, carjacking scenarios involving handgun threats within and around motor vehicles, handgun defenses when the attack is directed at a third party, defenses against threats with an edged weapon, using a blunt weapon or common object to defend against a blunt weapon attack, using a blunt weapon, edged weapon or common object to defend against an edged weapon, and threats involving an assailant with an explosive device.
Perhaps the most important characteristics of the system are:
Practical Techniques The main emphasis of the Krav Maga system is on effectiveness, simplicity and sound, logical problem solving. This is a street-fighting system that provides realistic defenses against a variety of aggressive attacks, whether the assailant is armed or unarmed, and whether the attack is directed at you or a third party. The system is well integrated, which means techniques and principles that are taught will be applicable in more than one situation, allowing students to learn to deal with reaction time, defenses and counterattacks that will apply to a multitude of different attacks.
Efficient Training Period Students attain a high level of proficiency in a relatively short period of instruction. Krav Maga training today has been further refined to meet the needs of citizens and law-enforcement personnel tasked with other priorities, missions, endeavors and responsibilities in daily life. Krav Maga Worldwides training methodology is specifically designed to build a warrior in a minimal amount of time, and the system allows students to achieve life-saving skills in a relatively short period of time.
Retention of Training The Krav Maga system is based on common principles and natural, instinctive reactions to danger. Its due to these facts that Krav Maga techniques can be retained with minimal review and practice.
Darren Levine (right) demonstrates the appropriate way to defend against a stick attack.
Performing Techniques Under Stress and Other Conditions That Replicate Reality Unique training methods are a key ingredient to the Krav Maga system and are specifically designed to replicate the realities that exist in a true life-threatening encounter. The training is designed to improve ones emotional and physical response to danger. Unique training methods are used to develop the ability to recognize danger at its earliest stages, to go from a non- or low state of readiness to a state of action without hesitation, to develop a warriors mindset, to engage and overcome an adversary, and to escalate and to deescalate to appropriate levels of force.
Use of Force Issues Krav Maga Worldwide training enables people to defend themselves and deal with the most violent armed assailants they encounter, while remaining acutely aware of reasonable use of force and civil liabilities that arise during a violent encounter.
Training Methodology
While many of Krav Magas techniques and tactics are certainly singular in their effectiveness, it is the exclusive delivery system that Krav Maga Worldwide utilizes to train its operators that quite possibly sets it apart from other self-defense training systems. Techniques, in a vacuum, are useless. Without developing aggressiveness or fighting spirit in students, the techniques will not matter, because under duress the defender will be unable to react in a timely or effective manner. The student/defender must train in a way that will promote and enhance decisive action under extreme stress and/or fatigue. Therefore, Krav Maga Worldwide places a great premium on training methodology as one of the most important ways to enhance survivability in a violent encounter. An up-to-date, certified Krav Maga Worldwide instructor is not only tasked with teaching techniques in a manner that can be assimilated quickly, but devising and implementing training methods and drills that allow students to gain confidence and pressure-test abilities (in a relatively safe environment).
